An Old Friend a New Mate
by 00torchwood
Summary: A call from a friend and an invite to a Alpha conference will help Derek and Stiles release their feelings for each other, while Scotts starts a pack and leaves Stiles behind.
1. Hello There

Derek had just about finished filling out another job application, the fifth one of the day. Things were starting to settle now. His pack was getting stronger, no life-threatening missions, no more deaths, even Peter had started to calm down, helping the betas and joining in on pack meets and actives. He still disappeared once and a while, but he was never gone for more than a month now where before he would have disappeared for months on end reappear for a couple of days and then go again. Something nudged the back of Derek's head, he looked over his shoulder from where he sat on the floor, back facing the couch. Stiles had turned his sleep and now his knee was slightly digging into Derek's head.

A couple of hours ago a very angry and pissed off Stiles had turned up at Derek's apartment. Scott had blown him off again. Whenever something bad happened or if Stiles was upset or lonely or after some company he would always find his way to Derek or vice versa, more often or not it had something to do with Scott.

Scott had slowly started to build his own pack, it was small and weak compared to Derek's, and somehow Stiles had ended up in the middle, not wanting to choose sides. But if Scott keeps treating him like shit, he might make up Stiles mind for him. Derek wasn't looking forward to that day, the day when Stiles had enough of his bullshit. Stiles was the only one keeping the peace between the two packs, and when that peace goes, so will a pack.

Derek was reading through his application form one last time before sending it when his phone buzzed next to him, quickly checking that it hadn't waking up Stiles he answered.

"Please tell me you're going to this stupid Alpha meet up this year?" A very British, very feminine voice greeted him before he even said hello.

"Hello to you too Holly." He couldn't help but smile at the sound of her voice. After the fire Laura had sent him to England to train with a powerful ally, they had became strong friends, her pack was one of the only packs not to turn their backs on the young Hales.

"So are you going? Fathers making me go with him this year says it will increase my chances of finding a strong mate."

"Like you need help with that" Holly was beautiful, Smart and the daughter of the most powerful Alpha in England.

"So are you going? I haven't seen you in ages."

"I don't know" Stiles moves behind him so he gets up and goes into the Kitchen. "I don't even know if i wanted there."

"You've been invited.

"Doesn't mean i will be welcome." He gets the later out of out of the draw that it was hidden in and reads it over once more.

_Alpha Hale _

_We welcome you to the annual Alpha conference hosted by Alpha White of Alaska. _

_The conference will take place at Glacier Bay Country Inn._

_As usual we shall be posing as the Wild Wolf Protection League._

_We shall be looking forward to seeing you and your mate on the last weekend of November 2014, Friday-Sunday._

_Please find Booking details attached. _

_Yours,_

_Mille White Mate of Altha White._

"Of course they want you there. The great and powerful Hale Pack back in action, and besides if you don't come I will drag your ass to Alaska myself." That wasn't a threat, Holly doesn't make threats.

"If I do go, I will need to find a mate." There was no way Derek was getting out of this now.

"You have a mate." He could feel the roll of her eyes through the phone.

"I do?"

"Stiles, the kid you always talk about in your emails? You're telling me he's not your mate?" she asked, the confusion thick in her voice.

"Um, No, I mean, where did you even get that idea?" They were both confused.

"Whatever you say Hale."

"You know nothing Thomas."

They talked for another hour about their packs and about life in general before Stiles strolled into the kitchen.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes

"Sorry, did i wake you?" he pulls his phone away from his ear but could still here Holly say,

"Thats him, I know it"

He quickly told her to shut up before he putting the phone down.

"Naw it's fine, i was up anyway?" he asked pouring himself a glass of milk.

"Just a friend, I need to show you something" He passed Stiles the later

"You have friends?" Stiles joked.

Derek rolled his eyes,"Just read the goddamn later."

Derek watched as he read, the way his eyes moved over the page, stopped at the word mate, looked out, Derek shrugged and Stiles continued reading.

"What do you think?" He asked as Stiles read it over for the second time.

"It could be a good opportunity to reconnect, I take it's not every pack that gets invited?" Stiles ask taking his eyes off the later.

"Just the big ones, Alphas from strong blood that have a say, help keep things ticking "

"And that includes you?"

"The Hales had one of the most powerful packs, one of the biggest voices. Now I'm trying to do things right there letting us in again, i guess" To be honest he wasn't too sure he had been invited, most of the other packs had turned on him after what happened. "I will set up a pack meeting for tomorrow and see what the other say."

"Is it ok if i crash here tonight? It's Friday and Dads going to be gone until late morning? and seeing as there's going to be a pack meeting it will save me on patrol" Stiles didn't have to ask

"No problem, i will set up the couch, you can take my bed" It wasn't a question so Stiles didn't argue. "What happened tonight, with Scott anyway?"

"Same old. We were meet to go see a film; He let me down last minute, we had a fight, I came here." Derek knew there was more to it than that, but he didn't push.

"Ill put some Popcorn in the microwave, go find something to watch on Netflix."

"Best Idea you've had all day Sourwolf." Stiles make his way back to the front room.

While the Popcorn cooks, Derek sends the pack a message telling them to at the apartment for twelve the next morning.

Hot bowl of popcorn in his hands Derek, joins Stiles on the sofa, "What are we watching?"

Halfway into "Avengers" Stiles had fallen asleep, snuggled into Derek, carefully he carries Stiles to his bed and places him under the covers. He was going to turn and leave when Stiles calls out to him. "You don't have to sleep on the couch, I mean your bed is big enough for both of us." Even in the dark Derek could see a slight blush on Stiles cheeks.

"Ok." Derek doesn't know what made he stay that night, but he was glad he did. "Ok."

Derek wasn't sure what woke him the next morning, the heat coming from Stiles, it turns out they were spooning or his painfully hard erection that was rubbing up against Stiles ass. He jumped in the shower before Stiles could wake up.

It was no surprise to see Isaac sitting at the kitchen table eating toast when Derek emerged fully clothed from the shower. Isaac spent little time at home, it was only on the a rare occasion that the poor kid went home.

"Sleep well?" Isaac looked from his plate, a claim expression on his face, eyebrow raised out of curiosity, for a low ranking wolf, he could get a little cocky.

"I have no idea what you're on about" Derek replied as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Isaac most of put on a pot when he came in.

"Sure you don't."

Derek replied with a small but threatening growl, Isaac dropped the subject and continued his breakfast.

Throughout the morning, the rest of the pack started to make their way into the scene. Not long after Isaac finished his toast Boyd, Derek's second turned up along with Erica. Shortly followed by the two new members Michael and Tony (joined from a local pack, turned out to be two strong and reliable wolfs). Then came Jackson and Danny (Danny was Jacksons and a little bit of Stiles idea), Peter was last, just on time, but he had pizza so Derek couldn't really be mad.

Once the pizza was finished and light conversation had been made Derek read out the letter.

"Our old Alpha would have killed for an invite, " Tony said

"You should go, reconnect, it would be good to ally with these types of Alphas." Erica piped in from her position on Boyds lap.

"I could take care of things here for you?" Boyd agreed

"There's only one Problem nephew," Peter said from the window, " They assume you have a mate."

"I don't even know if I'm going yet uncle" Derek replied, "I could be dangerous, these people abounded us at our time of need remember."

"Not all of them," Peter said under his breath.

"If I do go, If i do, I will need someone to pose as my mate" Derek addressed the pack, eyes falling on Erica.

"Hell no, you can't take her!" Boyd growled

"Who do you suggest I take then? I can't take anyone else, they would see right through it, I would be forced to mate with one of their kin to keep up appearances, an alpha needs a mate." Derek flashes his eyes at Boyd.

"They want see through everyone," Isaac said looking over to Stiles.

"Stiles" "Me" Derek and Stiles said together.

"He has a point" Jackson agreed with Isaac. The whole pack was nodding along with him, apart from Peter, who just looked Snug.

"Ok, well put it to a vote," Derek sighed, " All those in favor of the conference." Everybody raised their hands, Isaac was a little hesitant. Derek will speak to him later, "All those in favor of me taking Stiles" Derek was surprised to see Stiles hand in the air.

"It makes sense, I'm not 100% pack, it wouldn't be as awkward if it were me, we could make it believable, seeing as we don't share the same connection."

"You got that right" Peter whispered, Derek choose to ignore him.

"If you do this you will have to smell like mine that you belong to me," he began. "We'll have to sleep in the same bed almost every night. You'll have to wear my jacket at school. Scent its the main factor in this, and we will have to get comfortable around each other, intimate touches, think you can do it?"

"Piece of Cake" A nervous smile creeps onto Stiles' face.

"I shall book it now then, if anybody has any other thoughts on the matter say now?" silence, "Oh and Stiles the sooner we start this, the easier it will be."

"You got it" He sent Derek a wink.

"I going to send the confirmation email, Isaac if I could have a word, the rest of you are free to go."

Isaac follows Derek into the kitchen, not looking up.

"Isaac?" Derek speaks softly, " Isaac I need you to look at me" he places a gentle hand under Isaacs chin, slowly Isaac eyes come off the floor.

"I'm sorry" his voice was so soft, so scared, it always hurt Derek to see him like this.

"You have nothing to be sorry for pup" Derek softened his voice a little more, " I just wanted to make sure that you are going to be ok when Stiles and I go."

No reply.

"You can stay here, i can ask Boyd to stay with you too?"

"I'll be fine" It's not as convincing as it sounds.

"I will call you every night, ok?" Derek asked

"Ok," a Little better.

"Good" he stroked his cheek before letting him go, " I'm sure you have some work to do" Derek watched him pick up his bag before sending the email. Stiles returned about an hour later with his college application forms.

"Might us well start straight away, right?" he asked

"Right" Derek replied and handed Stiles his jacket.


	2. Idiots

Pulling Derek's jacket around his lanky body Stiles made his way into school. Explaining the situation to his dad was easier than he thought. The hardest part of that conversation was trying to explain to him that it was pretend, which confused Stiles. He had a crush on Derek, yeah, but was it that obvious? Scott was going to be harder to tell. Scott has never liked Derek and now he was an alpha, and it's ten times worse. Stiles hoped that he would understand; he didn't want to nor could choose between his best friend and Derek, whatever Derek was.

Stiles made it all the way to his first class before Scott caught up to him."Why are you wearing Derek's jacket?" Scott had pretty much cornered him by the classroom door.

"Well, um," Stiles stutters, " I was cold, he lent it to me." He felt bad for lying, but he wasn't even sure if he was allowed to tell Scott about the meeting.

"You were cold?" He asked cocking an eyebrow; Stiles wasn't going to live past this encounter.

"Yep", he made sure the P popped.

"So why you do it smell like you've been rolling around with him in weeks?" He leant in and took a large sniff to be sure.

"Ok, I'm not going to lie" that much. "Me and Derek are dating". He waited for something or anything to happen, but nothing did. Scott just looked at him, just stared, no expression, nothing in his eyes, just nothing.

"Say something" Stiles was gripping his bag strap so hard that his hand was turning white. Scott just turned away, said nothing just walked into the class and didn't look back. It was going to be a long week.

Stiles tried again at lunch only to be blanked again. He sat down at a table near the back of the hall expecting it to be a lonely hour. To his surprise Isaac took the seat next to him shortly followed by Erica and Boyd and his surprise Lydia joined them too.

"See you finally got to together with Derek then?" It was so nonchalant the way she said it, like it was nothing at all, Stiles almost off of his chair.

" I, Um, what" was it that obvious for his feelings of Derek.

"You two have been dancing around each other for months now and why else would Scott have stopped talking to you?" She took a bite of her apple.

"It's complicated" he had enough of lying to his friends.

"Complicated how?"

"I don't think it's any of your business" Erica growled from across the table.

"I think that is for Stiles to decide, don't you" Lydia may not be a wolf but she had one hell of a bite.

"I think that Stiles is still in the room" he was frantically waving his hands around trying to get their attention, slowly Lydia turned to face him,

"I'm coming over tonight" she got up to leave

"And what if i have plans?" Stiles did have a life, even if it was small, he still had one.

Flicking her curls over her shoulder, "change them" she said with all the confidence in the world.

Stiles wasn't going to make it through with this plan, not in one piece anyways.

The rest of the school day went without a hitch really; there was a pop quiz, some homework and a group assignment for chemistry, which of course he was put with Lydia for. They got put together for everything now, teachers called them a "dream team." It was a beautiful distraction from the whole thing to be honest, Stiles liked doing school work, he was good at it, almost on par with Lydia herself.

The end ball went while Stiles was half way through an essay plan for English, now was the perfect time to talk to Scott. Quickly he gathered his things, he looked over to see if Scott was doing the same, but it was too late, he had already left. Slowing his pace he started for the door.

A slender arm linked into his as he made his way outside, "My cars in the shop, so it looks like you're driving". She fell into pace next to him, matching stride and step.

"My car? You're coming over now?" he pulled away from her but she pulled them back together.

"I did say."

"You said tonight" he was starting to get nervous.

"We do have a project to do too now, the sooner, the better." She stopped walking, in front of the school was a sleek black Camaro. Derek leant against the hood, sunglass on, arms crossed."Unless you have someone better to do?" she continued walking towards the car, leaving Stiles by the door.

"He just gave me a lift in, so he's getting me home," he said catching up with her. She was already by the car.

"Me and Stiles have work to do" She opened the back door and got in, that girl had some balls.

Even though the glass Stiles could see Derek cock his eyebrow. "Well, we do?" he entered the passenger side of the door.

The car ride home was the most awkward ride home ever. Since the whole, let's pretend to be mate's thing, Derek's and Stiles friendship and become uncomfortable but it wasn't as bad as this. Derek was stiff as a board at the wheel, Stiles' leg was about to fall off it was bouncing so much, but Lydia didn't seem to have to notice, she was texting away. Stiles wasn't fooled though, she notices everything. Arriving was by far the worst part, Lydia made her way to the front of Stiles house, phone in hand, Stiles got out of the car and as Derek rolled the passenger window down

Stiles lend against the Window frame, " So that was awkward."

Derek took off his shades, "We can't be like that next weekend, they will try and kill us if they doubt us" he sighed

"Really, you're joking right?" Derek really didn't look he was joking.

"These are not just ordinary Alphas." Derek looks straight ahead, "They come from old blood, well respected, strong and powerful. If something happens to you, you get into trouble, they are your first port of call."

"So what is that why Scott was invited, he's a true Alpha, shouldn't that put him on the list" Stiles asked.

"It's not about how you get the power, it's what you do with it" Derek puts his glasses back on and starts the engine, " I'll call you later." He drives away.

Stiles' lets Lydia in, pulls out the hidden curly fries, puts them in the oven, opens his laptop and pulls out the notes he made in class before he and Lydia even make conversation. The flow was smooth to start with, they ate the fries and made a plan of the project and even started the research. It was when they started to pack up things began to get awakened.

"So what's going on with you and Derek?" she asked taking her cup to the sink.

"What do you mean?" Stiles was cleaning up the papers.

"Com'on Stiles, I know that you're just pretending. Wearing his jacket to school, having him pick you up." She retook her seat, "If this is just to piss Scott off, it's not cool" Her bright eyes pierced into his, she had one, Stiles had to tell her.

"I would never piss Scott of on purpose you know that" he began.

"So what is it then," She asked calmly, still looking straight into Stiles eyes, it was actually quite nerving.

"Well", how was he going to tell her, he took a seat opposite, "If I tell you, you can't tell anyone" Less people who know the better.

"Go on" she prompted

"Derek has been invited to this alpha conference thing and he need a mate," he said probably way too quick for her to follow.

"So what, you are pretending?"

"Yep",

"You two are idiots," she said under her breath, "You need to be more convincing," she stood up and grab her bag from the table. "Have you tried kissing him?" she asked.

"What, No!" he had thought about it, but Derek would never.

"You should, get the hard stuff out of the way and the rest should be easy" easy for her to say anyway, "My Moms here, I want an update tomorrow at lunch" She left without looking back, it was days like this Stiles wondered why they were friends.

That night Stiles texted Derek.

_She knows _

_s_

_Did you tell her?_

_d _

_no, she figured it out?_

_s_

_Ok_

_d_

_r u coming over _

_s_

_already left _

_d_

Derek was at his window minutes later, his shirt clings to his overworked muscles with sweat. Without thinking Stiles meet him half way between the window and his bed. And kissed him, if you can call it a kiss, more of a slight brush of the lips than anything, you would have missed it if you blinked. Derek was a little shocked by the small act, " Lydia said we should get the bigger stuff out of the way, to help get us comfortable with each other" Stiles explained.

"Right, makes sense" Derek moved back a space. He didn't realize that they were still stood so close. "Is you dad at home?" he asked

"No, his on the night shift" Stiles made his way back to the computer and waited for another game of league to start, a small smile on his lips.

"I've been running for a couple of hours, is it ok if I?" Derek pulled at his shirt.

"Yeah sure, whatever" Stiles turned around in time to see Derek pull the shirt over his head. His game didn't go very well.

Derek stayed the night and the sheriff found them early the next morning wrapped up in each others arms, "Idiots" he mumbled before closing the door and making his way to bed.


End file.
